Legendary Mercedes-Benz drivers Jochen Mass and Karl Wendlinger will take the wheel of two very special cars from the three-pointed star's racing history to mark the premiere of the International Edelweiss Mountain Awards Rossfeld Berchtesgaden from 27 to 29 September 2013.
Mass will be driving a 1928 Mercedes-Benz SSK (W06), while Wendlinger will manhandle a 1971 AMG 300 SEL 6.8, affectionately known as the “Red Pig”, even though the Mercedes-Benz press release calls it the “Red Giant”. The model is technically the grandaddy of the current S 63 AMG.
The almost unpronounceable event - unless you know German, that is – harks back to the heyday of hill climb racing back in the 1930s, when Mercedes-Benz cars were pretty much at the top of this game.
Rudolf Caracciola - leading Mercedes-Benz racing driver in that era - was the European Hill Climbing Champion in both 1930 and 1931. The 1932 title went to Hans Stuck, who became champion of the Alps in a Mercedes-Benz SSKL, which was the lighter and more powerful version of the SSK that will be driven by Jochen Mass at the end of the month.
The almost unpronounceable event - unless you know German, that is – harks back to the heyday of hill climb racing back in the 1930s, when Mercedes-Benz cars were pretty much at the top of this game.
Rudolf Caracciola - leading Mercedes-Benz racing driver in that era - was the European Hill Climbing Champion in both 1930 and 1931. The 1932 title went to Hans Stuck, who became champion of the Alps in a Mercedes-Benz SSKL, which was the lighter and more powerful version of the SSK that will be driven by Jochen Mass at the end of the month.